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In this video, we’ll discuss how to create UX Content that provides help and guidance at all times, anticipating needs and solving problems before users get lost or frustrated.
New Terms:
Helpful UX Content - Detailed content that provides relevant, instructional support; keeps users engaged; and provides logical pathways for users.
Website Examples:
Basecamp
Emma
Sony PlayStation
Apple Trade-In Program
Further Reading:
How to Write an Effective Knowledge Base Article, by Gregory Ciotti
Camtasia: How to Make Tutorial Videos
UX content can help customers, clients and
other users become more familiar and
0:00
comfortable, with
the services you provided.
0:05
But once those people have a basic
understanding and familiarity,
0:08
you wanna support them and
make them feel secure.
0:11
So let's discuss another form of UX
content to focus on, helpful UX content.
0:14
When you hear the term helpful UX content,
0:20
one might assume we're talking
about the stuff you create for
0:22
a help or support section on a website and
that's certainly true.
0:26
When we create helpful UX content,
we want to provide support for
0:30
our users, but
we can also use it keep users engaged and
0:35
create logical pathways for
users to follow.
0:39
So helpful UX content may show up in
many areas of your website or app.
0:43
Let's focus on how we create it.
0:48
If you provide products or services
with any element of complexity to them,
0:51
you need to provide some level of support.
0:55
And as we've been saying,
you've gotta do more than the minimum.
0:58
So listing an email address or providing
a vague help form isn't gonna cut it.
1:01
Go the extra mile and anticipate what
users need and when they'll need it.
1:06
Providing some logical easy to understand
UX content could really help them out.
1:12
One strategy is to
create a knowledge base.
1:18
A section of content that provides
instructional information for your users.
1:21
This makes sense if you have a product
that requires specific knowledge
1:26
to use it.
1:30
Or if you offer advanced features that
could be explained through things like
1:30
step by step instructions, downloadable
guides, or walk through videos.
1:35
For example,
Basecamp has it's own knowledge base,
1:40
offering detailed information about how
to manage permissions for projects.
1:43
Or how to upgrade your
workspace from version 2 to 3.
1:48
Ultimately, you wanna ensure users
will be able successfully use whatever
1:53
you've created for them.
1:57
Making the overall experience feel more
supportive and reliable for your user.
1:59
Have you ever bought something or
tried to use an online platform,
2:05
only to get to some
point where you give up?
2:10
Maybe you can't figure out how it works,
or
2:12
you get overwhelmed by all
its many features, details.
2:15
In many cases,
users may abandon a product altogether, or
2:19
another goal of this helpful UX
content is to keep users engaged.
2:23
The idea is that if you can help users
better understand your offerings and
2:28
educate and support them through various
issues, those users will stay motivated.
2:33
They'll want to keep using
whatever you've created.
2:39
Emma's support pages were created to help
explain to customers how their email
2:42
service works and what things mean,
like specific email response analytics.
2:47
But they don't just provide definitions,
2:53
they write the content in an approachable,
easy to understand way.
2:56
An important point here is that if
you can speak your user's language,
3:01
they'll understand and
appreciate the content.
3:05
That means writing in a style
that's clear and familiar to them.
3:08
Using terms and even a personality
that resonates with them.
3:12
And it's even more helpful when you
focus on details that are personally
3:16
important to them.
3:19
If you understand who your users are and
what they are trying to accomplish,
3:20
then you'll know which features
they need help understanding.
3:24
How to convey information to them and
3:28
what UX content you need to
create to support their goals.
3:31
One more goal we mentioned for
3:35
helpful UX content was to create
logical pathways for our users.
3:37
No matter what kind of website or
app you build,
3:41
you'll want your users
to take certain actions.
3:44
And sometimes, it'll make sense for
them to follow a path or
3:47
a specific order of actions.
3:51
In UX circles,
this might also be known as the user flow.
3:52
Like if someone searches for a game in
the PlayStation Store, it makes sense for
3:57
Sony to provide a path to purchase
that game once the user finds it.
4:02
In this case, the user interface will draw
attention to that path with a big button.
4:06
But a great example of this helpful
UX content is the website for
4:12
the Apple trade-in program.
4:16
If a customer is considering
trading in their laptop or iPhone,
4:18
Apple will walk them through a series of
questions that determines which device
4:21
they've got and it's current condition.
4:26
Each step is simple and friendly and
includes short messages,
4:28
with easy choices and
a progress bar at the top.
4:33
They also include little,
what does this mean links, with short,
4:36
simple explanations.
4:41
And by the end, Apple has all the info
they need to provide an estimate.
4:42
Which is what the user wanted, but
4:46
they also give the user more
logical paths related to this.
4:49
Like actually going forward with the
trad-in so the user can get their money.
4:53
In the end, helpful UX content
does more than just provide help.
4:59
It moves your users further down
important pathways, removing barriers and
5:03
making the choice to take action much
easier and much more attractive.
5:08
When you've got a potential customer
ready to trade-in hardware,
5:14
there's a big difference between Apple
providing the address of the nearest
5:18
Apple Store, and forcing the customer
to physically go there, or
5:23
getting users one click away from
competing the actual process.
5:27
So, how can you use this
content to help your users?
5:31
Identify those paths.
5:37
Where do users arrive on your site and
where do they go?
5:39
What features do they use, or
what content do they look for?
5:43
Using helpful UX content, you could
guide them closer to a purchase or
5:46
expand their knowledge.
5:51
But regardless of their action,
your helpful content could build trust and
5:53
faith in your website or app.
5:57
If you can anticipate your users'
needs and what they are trying to do,
5:59
your UX content will be
perfectly helpful and effective.
6:04
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